Tuning device for wind musical instruments



A I. SINCLAIR.

TUNING DEVICE FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, I920- Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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INVEN'TOR.

124F550 J. J/N

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ALFRED J". SINCLAIR, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

TUNING DEVICE FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Application filed March 31, 1920. Serial No. 370,067.

T 0 all whom a may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. SINCLAIR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the countyof Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tuning Devices for lVindMusical Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a tuning device for wind musical instruments.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple compact device ofthis kind which can be easily applied to the instrument and which willbe of such a character that the parts will not become loose through longcontinued use.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which maybe produced at a relatively low cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described indetail.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewtaken centrally through a device embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 isan elevation of such a device.

In these "drawings I have illustrated one 1 embodiment of my invention,which embochment is designed primarily for use with a clarinet, but itwill be understood that this without modification.

the barrel 1 of a clarinet, which constitutes the end portion of theinstrument, and the lower, or inner, end of which is provided with asocket 2 to receive the end of the body portion of the instrument andthe upper portion of which is.provided with a socket 3 which isconnected with the socket 2 by an opening 4: of a smaller diameter. Theopening 4; is preferably provided with a metallic lining, which is hereshown as a tube 5 pressed tightly into the barrel. I also prefer toprovide the upper socket 3 with a metallic lining 6, which in thepresent instance is separate from the lining 5 and also comprises ametallic tube pressed tightly into the barrel. Mounted within the barrelfor longitudinal adjustment therein is a tuning slide 7 having a portionfitting within the lining 5 and provided at its outer end with anenlarged portion having a socket 8 to receive a mouth piece 9. Thisouter portion of the tuning slide is also provided with external screwthreads. Mounted on the threaded portion of the slide is a nut 10 whichis so connected with the barrel 1 that it may have free rotary movementthereon but will be held against longitudinal movement relativelythereto. Preferably this is accomplished by providing the nut 10 with anoutwardly extending flange 11 which rests upon the end of the barrel 1and which is held against longitudinal movement relatively thereto by acollar 12 having an inwardly extending flange 13 overhanging the flangeof the nut. As here shown, the collar 12 is pressed onto the barrel andeX-.

tends beyond the end thereof so that the flange 13, which is formed onthe outer end of the collar, may overhang the flange 11 on the nut. Thecollar will ordinarily be rigidly held in position by pressing the sameonto the barrel but to prevent the loosening of the nut, due toshrinkage of the barrel,

or other causes, I prefer to provide some means for positively securingthe same thereto, and as here shown, the collar is provided with anannular groove 14 which when the collar is in position on the barrelwill be in alinement with a corresponding annular groove 15 inthe barreland these grooves are filled with cement when the device is assembled,and when the cement has hardened it will form a rigid locking memberwhich will effectually prevent the with drawal of the collar. As hereshown, the device is applied to To hold the tuning slide againstrotation with the nut I have provided the same with a pin which extendsthrough a suitable opening in a part of the barrel, and in the presentinstance I have provided the lining 6 with a longitudinal slot 16 intowhich projects a pin 17 mounted in the tuning slide. This constructionenables the guiding pin to be very firmly mounted in the slide and it isonly necessary that the pin project a short distance beyond the surfaceof the slide, so that there is little likelihood of its working loose orbeing displaced.

It is also desirable that the nut be pro vided with a part extendingoutwardly to, or beyond, the outer surface of the collar 12 tofacilitate the rotation of the nut. To permit the device to be easilyassembled I have provided this part in the form of an cal actuating ring18, which is pressed onto the outer portion of the nut. In assemblingthe device the tuning slide and the lining 6 are first placed inposition in the barrel, the nut 10 is then placed on the screw threadedportion of the tuning slide and the flange 11 thereof moved intoengagement with the end of the barrel. The collar 12 is then pressedinto position on the barrel to secure the nut against longitudinalmovement, after which the actuating ring 18 is pressed onto the nut.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the device isvery simple in its construction and that the parts are of such aconstruction that they can be easily manufactured and assembled, andwhen assembled the device is very compact in its arrangement and of aneat appearance. Further, the construction and manner of assembling theseveral parts are such that these parts will be permanently held intheir proper positions and are not liable to become loose with use.

WVhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, I wishit to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the detailsthereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in theart.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, an instrument end providedwith a lining, a tuning slide mounted in said instrument end forlongitudinal adjustment relatively thereto, said tuning slide having oneend provided with a socket to receive a mouth piece and having externalscrew threads, a collar rigidly secured to said instrument end independently of said lining extending beyond the same and having aninturned flange, and a nut mounted on the threaded portion of saidtuning slide and having an outwardly extending flange rotatably heldbetween said instrument end and the flange on said collar.

2. In a device of the character described, an instrument end having alongitudinal slot opening through the inner wall thereof, a tuning slidemounted in saidinstrument end for longitudinal adjustment relativelythereto, a pin carried by said tuning slide and extending into the slotin said instrument end, one end of said tuning slide having a socket toreceive a mouth piece and having external screw threads, a nut mountedon the threaded portion of. said tuning slide, and means for rotatablyconnecting said nut with said instrument end and for holding the sameagainst longitudinal movement relatively thereto.

8. In a device of the character described, a barrel, a metallic liningfor said barrel having a longitudinal slot, a tuning slide mounted insaid barrel for longitudinal adjustment relatively thereto, a pincarried said tuning slide and extending into the slot in said lining,one end of said tuning slide being provided with a socket to receive amouth piece and having external screw threads, a nut mounted on thethreaded portion of said tuning slide, and means for rotatablyconnecting said nut with said barrel and for holding the same againstlongitudinal movement relatively thereto.

4. In a device of the character described, a barrel having alongitudinal passageway which is enlarged at its outer end, separatemetallic linings mounted in the two parts of said passageway, the liningin the larger portion thereof having a longitudinal slot, a tuning slidemounted in said barrel for longitudinal adjustment relatively theretoand having that part thereof which lies within the enlarged part of saidpassageway provided with external screw threads, a pin carried by saidtuning slide and extending into the slot in said lining, a nut mountedon the screw threaded portion of said tuning slide and having a flangeto engage the end of said barrel, a collar embracing the outer end ofsaid barrel, rigidly secured thereto, and having a part extending beyondthe end of said barrel and provided with a flange overhanging the flangeon said nut, and an actuating ring secured to said nut beyond the flangeon said collar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature hereto.

ALFRED J. SINCLAIR.

